Politics and Society Chapter 8

Hard Money

Donations that are used to help elect or defeat a specific candidate (pg. 233).

Semi-closed Primary

A primary where anyone who is a registered member of the party or registered as an Independent can vote (pg. 219).

Split Ticket

A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from more than one political party (pg. 239).

Straight Ticket

A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from only one political party (pg. 239).

Primary

A ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for the general election (pg. 221).

GOTV ("get out the vote") / Ground Game

A campaign's efforts to "get out the vote" or make sure their supporters vote on Election Day (pg. 230).

Caucus

A local meeting in which party members select a party's nominee for the general election (pg. 221).

Incumbent

A politician running for reelection to the office he or she holds (pg. 218).

Open Primary

A primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest, regardless of party affiliation (pg. 219).

Closed Primary

A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party vote (pg. 219).

Majority Voting

A voting system in which a candidate must win more than 50 percent of votes to win the election. If no candidate wins enough votes to take office, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters (pg. 220).

Plurality Voting

A voting system in which the candidate who receives the most votes within a geographic area wins the election, regardless of whether that candidate wins a majority (more than half) of the votes (pg. 220).

Open Seat

An elected position for which there is no incumbent (pg. 228).

Soft Money

Contributions that can be used for voter mobilization or to promote a policy proposal or point of view as long as these efforts are not tied to supporting or opposing a particular candidate (pg. 233).

How much time do Americans spend paying attention to politics, how much do they know about the election's candidates and issues, and how does the average American decide who to vote for?

Despite the fact that politics is everywhere, ordinary voters don't pay too much attention to politics. Turnout rates are modest, and people know relatively little about the candidates and their positions. While some voters are highly interested in politics and collect all the information they can about the candidates, most voters make their decision based on voting cues (pgs. 237-240).

Winner-take-all

During the presidential primaries, the practice of assigning all of a given state's delegates to the candidate who receives the most popular votes. Some states' Republican primaries and caucuses use this system (pg. 221).

Proportional Allocation

During the presidential primaries, the practice of determining the number of convention delegates allocated to each candidate based on the percentage of the popular vote cast for each candidate. All Democratic primaries and caucuses use this system, as do some states' Republican primaries and caucuses (pg. 221).

What is the election process in America and what makes the presidential election system different from others?

Elections in America generally have two steps. Primary elections select candidates for each party, and general elections determine who wins the office. Some of the rules for presidential elections differ from those of other elections; notably, the Electoral College system determines the winner of the general election (pgs. 218-227).

How do party organizations and candidates begin preparing for the next election?

Party organizations and candidates begin preparing for the next election the day after the last election ends. They focus on fund-raising and determining which races are likely to be competitive. Incumbents work throughout the election cycle to maintain their good standing among the voters and secure their reelection bids. During a campaign, candidates work hard, particularly through the use of advertisements, to increase their name recognition and mobilize their supporters (pgs. 227-237).

Voting Cues

Pieces of information about a candidate that are readily available, easy to interpret, and lead a citizen to decide to vote for a particular candidate (pg. 239).

What were the 2016 elections like for Republicans and what should voters expect from the government after these elections?

The 2016 elections were a significant victory for Republicans: they held on to majorities in the House and Senate, and the presidential election was won by the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. These Republican victories created unified government in Washington for the first time since 2009, although the expectation that Republicans would be able to enact significant policy changes should be tempered by the reality of significant differences among Republican elected officials on many issues, disagreements between Republican members of Congress and their new president, and the fact that Democratic senators can still filibuster Republican initiatives (pg. 241-246).

Electoral College

The body of votes to select America's president and vice president based on the popular vote in each state. Each candidate nominates a slate of electors who are selected to attend the meeting of the college if their candidate wins the most votes in a state or district (pg. 223).

General Election

The election in which voters cast ballots for House members, senators, and (every four years) a president and vice president (pg. 219).

Federal Election Commission

The government agency that enforces and regulates election laws; made up of six presidential appointees, of whom no more than three can be members of the same party (pg. 233).

Coattails

The idea that a popular president can generate additional support for candidates affiliated with his or her party. Coattails are weak or nonexistent in most American elections (pg. 239).

Paradox of Voting

The question of why citizens vote even though their individual votes stand little change of changing the election outcome (pg. 238).

Election Cycle

The two-year period between general elections (pg. 227).

Runoff Election

Under a majority voting system, a second election held only if no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first general election. Only the top two vote-getters in the first election complete in the runoff (pg. 220).